Lesson 32 - 30th June 2021

 Lesson 32 - 30th June 2021

This was pretty much more of the same again as the last few weeks.  This time I was with Martin and we started with 2 touch and goes and then a full stop landing.  Martin got out and sent me on my own to do a double lap of the forest.  This is good as it is building up my solo hours (now standing at 4 hours 45 minutes).  Martin said I will need to do that again next time and then we can look at the proper cross country, probably to Popham.

The forest circuit was OK but I was very inconsistent with my altitude.  I need to be more consistent.  I should have been at about 1700ft (on the QNH), based on the cloud base, but it varied from 1400ft to 2000ft when I wasn't paying attention.  It is something that you need to be watching all the time, like the speed in a car.

At one point, Dave came over the radio to ask where I was as he was doing circuits with a new student.  I gave a very wishy washy response about going along the ridge heading towards the house!  I knew what I meant and fortunately Dave could see me and worked it out as well.  Had it been anyone else it would have been about as useful as me saying I was in an aeroplane flying above some fields!!  I have to be honest and say that SkyDemon wasn't of much use to me but I think that was more my lack of understanding rather than any insufficiency with SkyDemon.  I need to spend some more time with it.

On the subject of EFB's (Electronic Flight Bags), I have had a look at ForeFlight, as they now have a presence in Europe.  Price wise they are similar but I can't see that it is any better than SkyDemon and I think more people know and use SkyDemon so I think I am better off sticking with it.  

The only other observation I could make was that when I returned to the airfield I was descending dead side,  Dave was with a student taking off on 3 3.  I ended up going cross wind behind them and then ended up on the downwind leg ahead of them.  I am not sure if that was the correct thing to do, but it was not mentioned afterwards.  If I remember, and it is unlikely, I will ask Dave if I did right to continue or if the right thing would have been for me to do something else, such as gain height and go back to the dead side again.  

Overall, my landings were better this time so that is a positive thing. 

Totals

70 minutes £157.50

Total Costs = £6576.36

Total Hours Icarus C42 = 34 hours 40 minutes

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